


Parenthood

by AaronCole0902



Series: scrambled. [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Mostly Fluff, Supportive Pepper Potts, Working Out My Feelings Through Fic, father Tony Stark, me struggling to write from a child's viewpoint, oneshot that might turn into a fic, set before almost everything
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 20:55:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15826764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AaronCole0902/pseuds/AaronCole0902
Summary: Tony Stark was not fit for parenthood. He knew it, Pepper knew it, and the media knew it. He had trust issues, commitment issues, undiagnosed depression and a lot of repressed emotions. He would never be a great dad. But there are moments in our lives where we realize our faults and are hit with the sudden realization that we must change in order to keep the ones we care about close. This is about the time Tony almost lost everything.





	Parenthood

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! Sorry for this long author's note, but there's some explaining that needs to be done. This is connected to my other oneshot "That time that it wasn't really about legos". The OC Jason is the same guy, except this oneshot takes place much earlier in the story line. Due to this chapter being set so early in Jason's life, I will be using she/her pronouns and the name Jamie. This is not meant to offend anyone and misgendering is not my intent, but in the story at this point that's who Tony sees him as and as he sees himself for quite a bit of his childhood. So if you're still confused, this is set before he realized he was transgender. Now that that's cleared up, let get on with the oneshot!

Tony pretty much had a new assistant every week. There were a lot of reasons for that. They were typically overworked, treated with mild disrespect and usually ended up playing babysitter for his daughter. All of this usually maxed people out a little after a week. And quite honestly, Tony didn’t really mind the change. He never had to memorize their names or anything about them. He knew they were all redheads and that was pretty much his only criteria besides common sense that he hired them on. 

Apparently, his kid was a handful. He’d been told that several times over. Something about screaming fits and fake crying and constantly moving around. He knew she was a lot, and that’s why he always had his assistants to keep and eye on her and take care of her. He had work to do, designing weapons and remaking old ones and he constantly had Obadiah breathing down his neck about responsibility and it was a little exhausting.

Though he’d never admit it, avoiding his daughter was definitely a coping mechanism. If he avoided her enough he didn’t have to think about how, no matter how much he loved her, she had honestly been the product of his mistakes. On another note, if he avoided her, then she wouldn’t feel the same parental pressure he always felt from his dad. The was the last thing he wanted. So, he let the assistants be the ‘bad guy’ and he’d swoop in at bed time for a story or candy or something and she’d love him and then he’d head back to lab.

He thought that was how good parenting worked.   
He thought he had cracked the code, honestly.

“Mr. Stark. I think it’s time we had a discussion about my employmen-” before the redhead whose name he’d never learned could finish her sentence, he had already interrupted her, not even turning around to meet her frustrated form.

“You can leave your badge with Happy. Where ever you decide to go next, let someone up front know and they’ll print out a recommendation for you.” He pulled another screwdriver from the tool box next to him while she huffed a few feet behind him. Usually at this point, the assistant would either cry, get angry, or just walk away and try to forget they ever worked for him. He definitely didn’t expect her to continue the conversation. 

How annoying.

“You’re going to screw up that kid, Mr.Stark.” The woman’s unrelated comment made him swivel his chair around, a dark expression covering his face. 

“I’m sorry- I wasn’t aware this was a conversation we were having. I only speak with my employees and due to recent events I don’t think that applies anymore.” His remark was sharp and she almost flinched. But there was something deeper in her eyes, a purpose behind her comment and no matter how angry he was with her at the moment, he was ever so curious. 

“I get it, Mr. Stark. Parenting is hard. But avoiding her is gonna screw her up, it’s gonna mess with her head and she’ll be gone before you even get to know her.”

“What are you? Nanny Nine one one?” his eyes narrowed defensively.

“I was a single mom. I was young, like you were, when my son was born. But I was involved in things I shouldn’t have been and I neglected him while doing what I thought would be easier for him. I made one big mistake, left him home alone long enough for him to start a kitchen fire and six months later the state had taken him. Now I only see him once a year.” She paused and Tony was too shaken for a witty comment. He had definitely not expected his night to go like this at all. She continued after taking a deep breath.

“If you think she’d be better off living on foster care or being adopted then just do it already. But if you keep doing what you’re doing you’re jeopardizing her future. She’s already misbehaving, crying, getting more frustrated than any other kid her age. If you don’t do something, Mr. Stark. You’re gonna lose that little girl.” and with that she turned on her heel and left his workshop, leaving him with only his thoughts and an uncomfortable silence.

Who the fuck did she think she was? Speaking to him like he was some kind of child? Sharing her shitty life story as if it were anything similar to his. None of that should have been her business. But no matter how many times he told himself she didn’t know what she was talking about, he couldn’t get the words she left on out of his head.

He groaned and ran a frustrated hand through his messy hair. With the assistant gone, he did need to go upstairs and keep an eye on Jaime until he could get another one, or at least get Happy to keep an eye on her. So he brushed his hands off on his pants, grabbed his phone and headed to the main floor of the tower, one of the only two rooms she had full access to. 

“Hey Jamie, what’s up?” He spoke, rounding the corner, eyes darting around the room insearch for her small figure. He wasn’t met with a verbal response, but the sound of a crash, pots falling out of the bottom cabinet. A little head of brown curls popped around the corner, seemingly unfazed by the mess she had just caused. 

“Hey daddy!” Her crooked teeth and dimples made an appearance and he felt his heart melt just a little bit, though he’d never admit it. 

“What are you doing messing around in the kitchen kid?” He raised an eyebrow, bending down to lift her, setting her on the counter, her feet dangling happily off the edge.

“I’m playing Captain America!” She giggled and his vision fazed in and out, glancing at her strange get up he was just now taking in. She had a pair of his blue underwear pulled over her tights with one of his blue shirts tucked in. There was a crude attempt at a paper star taped to her chest, which definitely explained the mess of tape and paper on the coffee table. In her right hand was whathad made all the noise earlier- a kitchen skillet which he assumed must have been her “shield”. She was beaming, but his heart was so angry. It seemed like even after he died, his dad still found a way to shove fucking Captain America back into his life. Now his kid was parading around like him and- take a deep breath tony. 

“Not bad kid. Though that’s more of a triangle than a star. Here let me help.” The two spent the next couple minutes coloring and cutting out a more realistic paper star and for a few minutes Tony’s heart wasn’t so hard to find.

“Let’s make one for you too daddy!” She furiously colored their second draft in with a fat grey marker.

“Oooo that’s gonna be a hard pass Jay, not really my style.” Her brows furrowed and she stopped coloring, adopting an upset and pouty expression. 

“But hey,” he said trying to avoid whatever fit she was about to throw about a damn paper star, “ Who do you like better? Me or Captain America?” he tugged on one of her curls giving her his best ‘i'm the greatest’ smile.

“Hmmmm,” she rubbed her chin, unbeknownst to him in the exact same way he did while coming up with ideas. “Captain America! He saves people all the time! And he's super strong!” she clapped her hands in excitement and Tony rolled his eyes. 

“Okay that’s unfair. I save people all the time. I build weapons for the military that protect the whole country, kiddo. And I’m super smart. Smart beats strong every time.” Despite his logic she shook her head, eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m gonna be just like Captain America when I grow up. I’m gonna be a superhero.” Oh gosh he really wished this kid had some more realistic dreams. Superheros didn’t exist, Captain America had been dead for ages and she was definitely never going to grow up. And he hadn’t been wrong about much before.

“Alright, alright I get it Miss America. Now let’s get you into bed.” He lifted her up, resting her on his hip in a way he distantly remembered his mother doing when he was small. 

“It’s not miss America! It’s Captain America daddy!” she gently shoved his shoulder, a frown making its way onto her little face, puffing out her chubby cheeks.

“Okay, Okay Captain. Now I see what all these assistants are saying about your attitude problem.” He rolled his eyes as he made his way towards the elevator.   
Her breathing slowed the closer they got to her bedroom. Everything was quiet once again and he was alone with his thoughts. 

If you don’t change, you’re going to lose her.

By the time he had tucked her into bed, flipped on a nightlight and headed back to the lab, he had already made his decision. Tony Stark had everything and therefore he had nothing. But the second she was born, he finally had something. And he couldn’t afford to lose that. 

Something had to change.


End file.
